Review: The Club (Pablo Larraín, 2015)

‘The Club’ (El Club) is a 2015 Chilean drama film directed, co-produced and co-written by Pablo Larraín. The film was Golden Globe nominated and has a controversial release date of Easter Good Friday on 25 March 2016.’The Club’ (El Club) is a 2015 Chilean drama film directed, co-produced and co-written by Pablo Larraín. The film was Golden Globe nominated and has a controversial release date of Easter Good Friday on 25 March 2016.

‘The Club‘ (El Club) is a 2015 Chilean drama film directed, co-produced and co-written by Pablo Larraín. The film was Golden Globe nominated and has a controversial release date of Easter Good Friday on 25 March 2016.

Four men live together in a secluded house in a small, seaside town under the watchful eye of sister Mónica (Antonia Zegers), redeeming their sins through a routine of penitence. No contact with the outside world amd only allowed to go out twice a day, they eat breakfast at 8am, go to mass at noon then lunch and singing together. At first it is not clear if these men are there in a spiritual retreat or just unfit to perform their holy duties. Until a fifth priest joins The Club bringing with him something from the past.

With a pinch of black humour, this psychological portrait of the characters slowly begins to show their deeds and personalities, showing us only glimpses of their past. Paedophilia, baby snatching, corruption.

A man (Roberto Farias) claims to have been abused since childhood by this fifth member in a chilling scene where he narrates everything he was put through. This sparks an investigation which is carried out by, Padre Garcia (Marcelo Alonso), a Church representative. Padre Garcia’s investigation starts to bring back the demons that put those men there in the first place.

With a pinch of black humour, this psychological portrait of the characters slowly begins to show their deeds and personalities, showing us only glimpses of their past. Paedophilia, baby snatching, corruption.

The performances are brilliantly played and in the case of sister Mónica whose only reasons to be there are to make sure the rules are followed, to count the slices of ham and to make sure they don’t put too much butter on their bread, there is always that uneasy feeling that she is either the nicest person in the world, or about to kill everyone. A woman who has also disgraced her role and only sees good men around her, but is willing to do what it takes to protect the world that she knows. Because ‘they have a happy beautiful life’.

The isolation and mundane routine seems to have made these men forget why they are there and none of them seem repentant of their crimes. Padre Vidal (Alfredo Castro) proudly claims to have repressed his homosexuality, however the act of sleeping with a child – or adult male — doesn’t seem to have the same condemnation.

This is Larraín’s fifth film which moves away from his previous work of portraying Chilean political landscape during the dictatorship — the trilogy ‘No‘ (2012); ‘Post Mortem’ (2010); ‘Tony Manero’ (2008); to confront us with another outrage, the abuses of the Catholic Church.

The Club is a brutal film that doesn’t try to take sides for any of the characters or situations. There is no repudiation nor sympathy. It simply presents the facts in a particular time and space. The reality of how the Catholic Church deals with abuse committed by priests.

With subtle visual elements such as the scenes shot against the light giving the impression of diluted silhouettes, the magnificent bleak landscape of a seaside town somewhere in Chile, and the minimalist music in the background, Larraín gives weight to the story, taking us inside the yellow house at the top of the hill and the daily life of the inmates. But it is finally the audience who has the overall view and will come out with its own judgment.

Paulina has an MA in Culture Policy and Management at City University London (2012). Restless and curious, was the music that brought her to London over 8 years ago but has been the amount of cultural activities and projects in which it is involved what keeps her here. Degree in Philosophy from the University of Chile and a Postgraduate Diploma in Cultural Management with a major in Visual (2006) Arts Paulina liked David Bowie and the Bauhaus.